Vehicle sales management and video chat system and method for a dealership salesperson mobile device and a remote visitor web browser

ABSTRACT

Vehicle sales management and video chat systems and methods use website listings that correspond to vehicles for sale at a dealership. A remote visitor clicks a “live video” button beside a desired vehicle, and schedules a time for a video chat, using their web browser. A dealership salesperson receives an alert, via a sales application running on on the salesperson&#39;s mobile device. At the scheduled time, a video chat window opens in the visitor&#39;s web browser with live audio/video of the desired vehicle from the dealership in real-time. The website visitor uses their web browser for live communication, in real-time, to the salesperson on their sales application. After the video chat, the website visitor can use their browser to download and save a recording of the video chat session.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to vehicle buying videocommunication and dealership salesperson management and, moreparticularly, to a web-based vehicle buying video communication anddealership salesperson management devices and bring-you-own-device(“BYOD”) systems, methods, and computer readable media.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Online vehicle dealership websites may have included online shoppingtools, and/or involved e-commerce, augmented reality (“AR”), virtualreality (“VR”), chatbots, and/or artificial intelligence (“Al”) softwareapplications, devices, and/or systems.

Some apps may have have been intended to engage users and afford themwith a more immediate and/or better understanding of how one or morevehicles might appear in person. They may have featuredthree-dimensional (“3D”) figures representing the vehicles, presenting alimited range of options via such apps.

The prior art may have suffered from a variety of shortcomings,potentially including an almost entirely digital and/or virtual (orotherwise deficient) user-facing experience. The prior art may havefailed to provide a true and/or real dealership function and/orexperience.

Prior art video conference software, systems, devices, and/or methodsmay have been used in the same general field as the invention, and/or inrelated fields. For example, in the prior art, people may havepreviously downloaded the Facebook Messenger and/or Skype softwareapplication (“app”), etc. to connect via video.

The prior art, however, may have failed to provide an online interfacethat allows communication, and preferably a video connection, directlyover the world-wide web (the “web”) and within a web browser window,without requiring download of Facebook Messenger, Skype, or anyadditional proprietary or other software, apps, and/or browser plug-ins.The prior art may have failed to provide an online interface that allowsa fast web-based and relatively high resolution video connection andvideo communication.

Compared to the invention, previous solutions (i) may have beennon-web-based, (ii) may have required download, installation and use ofa separate proprietary or other app, and/or (iii) may have only affordedrelatively low resolution video connection and communication.

What may be needed are web-based vehicle buying video communicationand/or dealership salesperson management devices and/or BYOD systems,methods, and/or computer readable media which afford potential customerswith a real time dealership experience. It may be desirable and/orbeneficial to innovatively merge certain aspects of dealership andonline vehicle shopping.

It may be desirable and/or beneficial to improve users' experiences inshopping for vehicles.

The invention may desirably and/or advantageously improve, or helpimprove, the car buying experience—e.g., for customers, salespeople,and/or dealerships—preferably by allowing a website visitor to see oneor more cars of potential interest in real time (or substantially inreal time) without having to step foot in the dealership.

The invention may desirably and/or advantageously improve, or helpimprove, the car buying experience—e.g., for customers, salespeople,and/or dealerships—preferably by allowing a salesperson to show (with orwithout accompanying sound) one or more cars of interest to a potentialcustomer, over the web, in real time (or substantially in real time)without requiring the customer to set foot in the dealership.

The invention may desirably and/or advantageously improve, or helpimprove, the car buying and/or selling experience—e.g., for customers,salespeople, and/or dealerships—preferably by effectively managingdealerships and/or salespeople on and via any devices, systems, methods,and/or computer readable media according to the invention.

The invention may desirably and/or advantageously improve, or helpimprove, the car buying and/or selling experience—e.g., for customers,salespeople, and/or dealerships—preferably by allowing salespeople tocommunicate by video with potential customers on and via salespeople's“bring-your-own-device” (“BYOD”) devices utilizing systems, methods,and/or computer readable media according to the invention.

It may be an object according to one aspect of the invention to providea web-based vehicle buying video communication and/or dealershipsalesperson management device and/or BYOD system, method and/or computerreadable medium.

It may be an object according to one aspect of the invention to provideweb-based vehicle buying video communication and/or dealershipsalesperson management devices and/or BYOD systems, methods, and/orcomputer readable media which may help users find, select, and/or buyparticular vehicles that work for each of them individually and/orpersonally.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate one ormore disadvantages and/or shortcomings associated with the prior art, tomeet or provide for one or more desires, benefits, needs and/oradvantages, and/or to achieve one or more objects of the invention—oneor more of which may preferably be readily appreciable by and/orsuggested to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings and/ordisclosures hereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there are disclosed one or more web-basedvehicle buying video communication and/or dealership salespersonmanagement devices and/or BYOD systems, methods, and/or computerreadable media.

According to one aspect of the invention, the devices, systems, methods,and/or computer readable media may preferably, but need not necessarily,require no sign-in or download. Preferably, a user may just answersand/or connects with the app according to the invention. Preferably, theinvention may improve, and/or help improve, the lead-generation and/orcustomer relationship management (“CRM”) process via a two-wayconversation. Preferably, use of the device, system, method and/orcomputer readable medium according to the invention may be superior tomerely communicating via email.

According to the invention, there may be provided a web-based vehiclebuying video communication and/or dealership salesperson managementdevice and/or BYOD system, method and/or computer readable medium, whichaffords one or more CRM and/or dealership management and/or workflowfeatures.

According to the invention, there is also disclosed a vehicle salesmanagement and video chat system. The system may be for use with asalesperson's networking electronic device which may be local to asalesperson at a dealership and/or with a standard web browsingapplication running on a visitor's networking electronic device that maybe local to a website visitor who may be remote from the dealership. Thesystem may include at least one desired vehicle that may be physicallylocated onsite at the dealership and available for potential acquisitionby the website visitor. The system may also include a dealership websitethat may be remote from and presented to the website visitor via thestandard web browsing application. The system may also include listingson the dealership website that may include at least one availablevehicle listing which corresponds to the desired vehicle. The system mayalso include a live video button, substantially adjacent to theavailable vehicle listing on the dealership website, that may beselectively engageable by the website visitor. The system may alsoinclude a scheduling window that may be presented to the websitevisitor, via the standard web browsing application, after the websitevisitor has selectively engaged the live video button. The schedulingwindow may enable the website visitor to select a predetermined videochat time. The system may also include a dedicated vehicle salesapplication running on the salesperson's networking electronic device.The system may also include an alert notification that may be presentedto the salesperson, via the dedicated vehicle sales application, afterthe website visitor has selected the predetermined video chat time. Thesystem may also include a visitor video chat window that, startingsubstantially at the predetermined video chat time, may present liveaudio and video from the dealership, via the dedicated vehicle salesapplication running on the salesperson's networking electronic device,substantially in real-time, to the website visitor via the standard webbrowsing application. The live audio and video from the dealership mayinclude live audio and video of the desired vehicle. The system may alsoinclude a salesperson video chat window that, starting substantially atthe predetermined video chat time, may present live communication fromthe website visitor, via the standard web browsing application,substantially in real-time, to the salesperson via the dedicated vehiclesales application. The system may also include a dealership storagesubsystem that may be remote from the website visitor. The system mayalso include a session recording of the live audio and video from thedealership and the communication from the website visitor. The sessionrecording may be securely stored by the dealership storage subsystem.The system may also include a hang-up button that may be presented tothe website visitor via the standard web browsing application and to thesalesperson via the dedicated vehicle sales application. The hang-upbutton may be selectively engageable to close the visitor video chatwindow and the salesperson video chat window. The system may alsoinclude a video download window that may be presented to the websitevisitor, via the standard web browsing application, after selectiveengagement of the hang-up button. The video download window may enablesthe website visitor to selectively download and store a copy of thesession recording to the visitor's networking electronic device.

According to one aspect of the invention, the system may preferably, butneed not necessarily, also include one or more communication buttonsthat are presented via the standard web browsing application. Thecommunication buttons may preferably, but need not necessarily, beselectively engageable by the website visitor to present, as said livecommunication, one or more of the following inputs as received by thevisitor's networking electronic device: text only; voice only; and/orvoice and video together.

According to one aspect of the invention, the system may preferably, butneed not necessarily, be further adapted for use by other dealershippersonnel at the dealership. The system may preferably, but need notnecessarily, include a call transfer button that may preferably, butneed not necessarily, be presented to the website visitor via thestandard web browsing application and to the salesperson via thededicated vehicle sales application. The call transfer button maypreferably, but need not necessarily, be selectively engageable totransfer the salesperson video chat window to an appropriate one of theother dealership personnel based on at least one of: the live audio andvideo from the dealership; the desired vehicle; and/or the livecommunication from the website visitor.

According to one aspect of the invention, preferably when the websitevisitor has a potential trade-in vehicle for appraisal as part of thepotential acquisition of the desired vehicle, the appropriate one of theother dealership personnel may preferably, but need not necessarily, bea vehicle appraiser.

According to one aspect of the invention, the scheduling window maypreferably, but need not necessarily, enable selection of thepredetermined video chat time from among one or more preset options.

According to one aspect of the invention, the system may preferably, butneed not necessarily, also include a timer window. The timer window maypreferably, but need not necessarily, be presented via the standard webbrowsing application after the website visitor has selected thepredetermined video chat time. The timer window may preferably, but neednot necessarily, count-down the time remaining until the predeterminedvideo chat time. The system may preferably, but need not necessarily,enable the website visitor to continue otherwise using the standard webbrowsing application until the predetermined video chat time.

According to one aspect of the invention, the alert notification maypreferably, but need not necessarily, prompt the salesperson to prepare,before expiry of any time remaining until the predetermined video chattime, a live presentation of the desired vehicle for the websitevisitor.

According to one aspect of the invention, the video download window maypreferably, but need not necessarily, require entry of a personal nameand an email address/SMS number for the website visitor beforedelivering a download link to the email address/SMS number. The downloadlink may preferably, but need not necessarily, enable the websitevisitor to, as aforesaid, selectively download and store a copy of thesession recording to the visitor's networking electronic device. Thedealership storage subsystem may preferably, but need not necessarily,store the personal name and the email address/SMS number. The dealershipstorage subsystem may preferably, but need not necessarily, provide thepersonal name and the email address/SMS number to the salesperson and/orthe dealership.

According to one aspect of the invention, the system may preferably, butneed not necessarily, also include a feedback prompt. The feedbackprompt may preferably, but need not necessarily, be presented to thewebsite visitor, via the standard web browsing application, after thevideo download window. The feedback prompt may preferably, but need notnecessarily, enable the website visitor to share feedback concerning thelive audio and video for access by the dealership and/or potentially viasocial media for third party access.

According to one aspect of the invention, the system may preferably, butneed not necessarily, also include a dealership prompt. The dealershipprompt may preferably, but need not necessarily, be presented to thewebsite visitor, via the standard web browsing application, after thevideo download window. The dealership prompt may preferably, but neednot necessarily, enable the website visitor to schedule an in-personmeeting with the salesperson for a test drive and/or to advance thepotential acquisition of the desired vehicle by the website visitor.

According to one aspect of the invention, the system may preferably, butneed not necessarily, also include a trade-in prompt. The trade-inprompt may preferably, but need not necessarily, be presented to thewebsite visitor, via the standard web browsing application, after thevideo download window. The trade-in prompt may preferably, but need notnecessarily, enable the website visitor to schedule a video chat withthe dealership for appraisal of a potential trade-in vehicle as part ofthe potential acquisition of the desired vehicle.

According to one aspect of the invention, the system may preferably, butneed not necessarily, be further adapted for use by a number of othersalespeople at the dealership and/or for use with a current volume ofwebsite traffic. The system may preferably, but need not necessarily,also include a log-in window. The log-in window may preferably, but neednot necessarily, enable the salesperson to log-in to the dedicatedvehicle sales application after arriving at the dealership. The systemmay preferably, but need not necessarily, also include a dealershipqueue of the other salespeople at the dealership who have logged-in tothe dedicated vehicle sales application. The dealership queue maypreferably, but need not necessarily, be stored in the dealershipstorage subsystem. The system may preferably, but need not necessarily,include a dealership processor. The dealership processor may preferably,but need not necessarily, calculate a position of the salesperson in thedealership queue, preferably based on when the salesperson logged-in tothe dedicated vehicle sales application. The dealership processor maypreferably, but need not necessarily, calculate—based on the position ofthe salesperson in the dealership queue and/or on the current volume ofwebsite traffic—an estimated time until the salesperson may preferably,but need not necessarily, be presented with the alert notification asaforesaid. The system may preferably, but need not necessarily, includea time estimate notification. The time estimate notification maypreferably, but need not necessarily, be presented to the salesperson,via the dedicated vehicle sales application, after the salesperson haslogged-in as aforesaid. The time estimate notification may preferably,but need not necessarily, include the estimated time and/or the positionof the salesperson in the dealership queue.

According to one aspect of the invention, preferably after the alertnotification may be presented to the salesperson, the dealershipprocessor may preferably, but need not necessarily, calculate: updatedpositions of the other salespeople in the dealership queue; and/or newestimated times. The new estimated times may preferably, but need notnecessarily, be based on the updated positions of the other salespeoplein the dealership queue and/or on the current volume of website traffic.The dedicated vehicle sales application may preferably, but need notnecessarily, present the new estimated times to the other salespeople inthe dealership queue.

According to one aspect of the invention, the system may preferably, butneed not necessarily, also include a dealership administrator interface.The dealership administrator interface may preferably, but need notnecessarily, enable the dealership to monitor, review, and/or managesubstantially all information and/or activity related to the dealershipwebsite, the website visitor, the listings on the dealership website,the available vehicle listing, the dedicated vehicle sales application,the salesperson, the live audio and video from the dealership, the livecommunication from the website visitor, the dealership storagesubsystem, and/or the session recording, for quality control and/ortraining purposes.

According to the invention, there is also disclosed a method of vehiclesales management and video chat. The method may be for use with asalesperson's networking electronic device that may be local to asalesperson at a dealership and/or with a standard web browsingapplication running on a visitor's networking electronic device that maybe local to a website visitor who may be remote from the dealership. Themethod may include a listing step of using the standard web browsingapplication, running on the networking electronic device that may belocal to the website visitor, to present: (a) at least one availablevehicle listing among listings on a dealership website; and/or (b) alive video button. The available vehicle listing may correspond to adesired vehicle that may be physically located onsite at the dealershipand/or available for potential acquisition by the website visitor. Thelive video button may be substantially adjacent to the available vehiclelisting on the dealership website. The live video button may beselectively engageable by the website visitor. The method may alsoinclude a scheduling step of presenting a scheduling window to thewebsite visitor, via the standard web browsing application, after thewebsite visitor has selectively engaged the live video button. Thescheduling window may enable the website visitor to select apredetermined video chat time. The method may also include a vehiclesales application providing step of providing a dedicated vehicle salesapplication running on the salesperson's networking electronic device.The method may also include an alert step of presenting an alertnotification to the salesperson, via the dedicated vehicle salesapplication, after the website visitor has selected the predeterminedvideo chat time. The method may also include a video chat step ofproviding: (i) a visitor video chat window; and (ii) a salesperson videochat window. The visitor video chat window may, starting substantiallyat the predetermined video chat time, present live audio and video fromthe dealership, via the dedicated vehicle sales application running onthe salesperson's networking electronic device, substantially inreal-time, to the website visitor via the standard web browsingapplication. The live audio and video from the dealership may includelive audio and video of the desired vehicle. The salesperson video chatwindow may, starting substantially at the predetermined video chat time,present live communication from the website visitor, via the standardweb browsing application, substantially in real-time, to the salespersonvia the dedicated vehicle sales application. The method may also includea dealership storage step of providing a dealership storage subsystemthat may be remote from the website visitor. The method may also includea session recording step of providing a session recording of the liveaudio and video from the dealership and/or the communication from thewebsite visitor. The session recording may be securely stored by thedealership storage subsystem. The method may also include a hang-up stepof providing a hang-up button that may be presented to the websitevisitor via the standard web browsing application and/or to thesalesperson via the dedicated vehicle sales application. The hang-upbutton may be selectively engageable to close the visitor video chatwindow and/or the salesperson video chat window. The method may alsoinclude a video download step of providing a video download window thatmay be presented to the website visitor, via the standard web browsingapplication, after selective engagement of the hang-up button. The videodownload window may enable the website visitor to selectively downloadand/or store a copy of the session recording to the visitor's networkingelectronic device.

According to one aspect of the invention, the method may preferably, butneed not necessarily, include a communication step of providing one ormore communication buttons. The communication buttons may preferably,but need not necessarily, be presented via the standard web browsingapplication. The communication buttons may preferably, but need notnecessarily, be selectively engageable by the website visitor topresent, as said live communication, one or more of the following inputsas received by the visitor's networking electronic device: text only;voice only; and/or voice and video together.

According to one aspect of the invention, the method may preferably, butneed not necessarily, be further adapted for use by other dealershippersonnel at the dealership. The method may preferably, but need notnecessarily, include a call transfer step of providing a call transferbutton. The call transfer button may preferably, but need notnecessarily, be presented to the website visitor via the standard webbrowsing application and/or to the salesperson via the dedicated vehiclesales application. The call transfer button may preferably, but need notnecessarily, be selectively engageable to transfer the salesperson videochat window to an appropriate one of the other dealership personnel,preferably based on at least one of: the live audio and video from thedealership; the desired vehicle; and/or the live communication from thewebsite visitor.

According to one aspect of the invention, preferably in the calltransfer step, preferably when the website visitor has a potentialtrade-in vehicle for appraisal as part of the potential acquisition ofthe desired vehicle, the appropriate one of the other dealershippersonnel may preferably, but need not necessarily, be a vehicleappraiser.

According to one aspect of the invention, preferably in the schedulingstep, the scheduling window may preferably, but need not necessarily,enable selection of the predetermined video chat time from among one ormore preset options.

According to one aspect of the invention, the method may preferably, butneed not necessarily, also include a timer step of providing a timerwindow. The timer window may preferably, but need not necessarily, bepresented via the standard web browsing application after the websitevisitor has selected the predetermined video chat time. The timer windowmay preferably, but need not necessarily, count-down the time remaininguntil the predetermined video chat time. Preferably during the timerstep, the dealer website may preferably, but need not necessarily,enable the website visitor to continue otherwise using the standard webbrowsing application, preferably until the predetermined video chattime.

According to one aspect of the invention, preferably in the alert step,the alert notification may preferably, but need not necessarily, promptthe salesperson to prepare, preferably before expiry of any timeremaining until the predetermined video chat time, a live presentationof the desired vehicle for the website visitor.

According to one aspect of the invention, preferably in the videodownload step, the video download window may preferably, but need notnecessarily, require entry of a personal name and/or an emailaddress/SMS number for the website visitor before delivering, to theemail address/SMS number, a download link. The download link maypreferably, but need not necessarily, enable the website visitor to, asaforesaid, selectively download and/or store a copy of the sessionrecording to the visitor's networking electronic device. Preferably inthe dealership storage step, the dealership storage subsystem maypreferably, but need not necessarily, store the personal name and/or theemail address/SMS number. Preferably in the dealership storage step, thedealership storage subsystem may preferably, but need not necessarily,provide the personal name and/or the email address/SMS number to thesalesperson and/or the dealership.

According to one aspect of the invention, the method may preferably, butneed not necessarily, include a feedback step of providing a feedbackprompt. The feedback prompt may preferably, but need not necessarily, bepresented to the website visitor, via the standard web browsingapplication, after the video download window. The feedback prompt maypreferably, but need not necessarily, enable the website visitor toshare feedback concerning the live audio and video for access by thedealership and/or potentially via social media for third party access.

According to one aspect of the invention, the method may preferably, butneed not necessarily, include a dealership step of providing adealership prompt. The dealership prompt may preferably, but need notnecessarily, be presented to the website visitor, via the standard webbrowsing application, after the video download window. The dealershipprompt may preferably, but need not necessarily, enable the websitevisitor to schedule an in-person meeting with the salesperson for a testdrive and/or to advance the potential acquisition of the desired vehicleby the website visitor.

According to one aspect of the invention, the method may preferably, butneed not necessarily, include a trade-in step of providing a trade-inprompt. The trade-in prompt may preferably, but need not necessarily, bepresented to the website visitor, via the standard web browsingapplication, after the video download window. The trade-in prompt maypreferably, but need not necessarily, enable the website visitor toschedule a video chat with the dealership for appraisal of a potentialtrade-in vehicle as part of the potential acquisition of the desiredvehicle.

According to one aspect of the invention, the method may preferably, butneed not necessarily, be further adapted for use by a number of othersalespeople at the dealership and/or for use with a current volume ofwebsite traffic. The method may preferably, but need not necessarily,include a log-in step, a dealership queuing step, a dealershipprocessing step, and/or a time estimate notification step. Preferably inthe log-in step, a log-in window may preferably, but need notnecessarily, be provided that enables the salesperson to log-in to thededicated vehicle sales application after arriving at the dealership.Preferably in the dealership queuing step, a dealership queue maypreferably, but need not necessarily, be provided of the othersalespeople at the dealership who have logged-in to the dedicatedvehicle sales application. The dealership queue may preferably, but neednot necessarily, be stored in the dealership storage subsystem.Preferably in the dealership processing step, a dealership processor maypreferably, but need not necessarily, be used to calculate a position ofthe salesperson in the dealership queue, preferably based on when thesalesperson logged-in to the dedicated vehicle sales application.Preferably in the dealership processing step, the dealership processormay preferably, but need not necessarily, be used to calculate, based onthe position of the salesperson in the dealership queue and on thecurrent volume of website traffic, an estimated time until thesalesperson may preferably, but need not necessarily, be presented withthe alert notification as aforesaid. Preferably in the time estimatenotification step, a time estimate notification may preferably, but neednot necessarily, be presented to the salesperson, via the dedicatedvehicle sales application, after the salesperson has logged-in asaforesaid. The time estimate notification may preferably, but need notnecessarily, include the estimated time and/or the position of thesalesperson in the dealership queue.

According to one aspect of the invention, preferably in the dealershipprocessing step, and preferably after the alert notification has beenpresented to the salesperson, the dealership processor may preferably,but need not necessarily, calculate: updated positions of the othersalespeople in the dealership queue; and/or new estimated timespreferably based on the updated positions of the other salespeople inthe dealership queue and/or on the current volume of website traffic.The dedicated vehicle sales application may preferably, but need notnecessarily, present the new estimated times to the other salespeople inthe dealership queue.

According to one aspect of the invention, the method may preferably, butneed not necessarily, include a dealership administration step ofproviding a dealership administrator interface. The dealershipadministrator interface may preferably, but need not necessarily, enablethe dealership to monitor, review, and/or manage substantially allinformation and/or activity related to the dealership website, thewebsite visitor, the listings on the dealership website, the availablevehicle listing, the dedicated vehicle sales application, thesalesperson, the live audio and video from the dealership, the livecommunication from the website visitor, the dealership storagesubsystem, and/or the session recording, for quality control and/ortraining purposes.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate in view of the teachings anddisclosures herein that the web-based vehicle buying video communicationand/or dealership salesperson management devices and/or BYOD systems,methods, and/or computer readable media according to the invention offersignificant advantageous utilities and/or functionality in comparison tothe prior art.

Other advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention,as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements ofthe structure, and the combination of parts and economies ofmanufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description with reference to the accompanyingfigures, the latter of which are briefly described hereinbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of thedevice, system, method, and computer readable medium according to thepresent invention, as to their structure, organization, use and methodof operation, together with further objectives and advantages thereof,will be better understood from the following figures in which presentlypreferred embodiments of the invention will now be illustrated by way ofexample. It is expressly understood, however, that the figures are forthe purpose of illustration and description only, and are not intendedas a definition of the limits of the invention. In the accompanyingfigures:

FIG. 1 is an available vehicle listing presented on a dealership websitein a vehicle sales management and video chat system according to apreferred embodiment of the invention, showing a vehicle and a livevideo button thereof, and shown on a standard web browsing application;

FIG. 2 is another available vehicle listing of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is yet another available vehicle listing of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a scheduling window of the system of FIG. 1, showing presentoptions for a predetermined video chat time thereof;

FIG. 5 is a timer window and an alert notification of the system of FIG.1;

FIG. 6 is another scheduling window of the system of FIG. 1, showingwebsite visitor personal name and SMS number entries thereof;

FIG. 7A is a visitor video chat window of the system of FIG. 1, showinga call transfer button, communication buttons, a hang-up button, andlive audio and video of a vehicle thereof, and shown with a salespersonat a dealership and an anonymous representation of a website visitor ona visitor's networking electronic device;

FIG. 7B is another visitor video chat window of the system of FIG. 1,showing website visitor live communication thereof, and shown with thewebsite visitor on another visitor's networking electronic device;

FIG. 8 is a salesperson video chat window of the system of FIG. 1,showing a dedicated vehicle sales application thereof, and shown on asalesperson's networking electronic device;

FIG. 9 is another visitor video chat window of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a video download window of the system of FIG. 1, showing adownload link and website visitor personal name and email address/SMSnumber entries thereof;

FIG. 11 is a feedback prompt of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is an offer prompt of the system of FIG. 1, showing websitevisitor personal name and email address entries thereof;

FIG. 13 is a log-in window of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a dealership administrator interface of the system of FIG. 1,showing positions of salespeople in a dealership queue thereof;

FIG. 15 is another view of the dealership administrator interface ofFIG. 14, showing a dealership storage subsystem thereof;

FIG. 16 is another dealership administrator interface of the system ofFIG. 1, showing a copy of a session recording stored in the dealershipstorage subsystem;

FIG. 17 is a session report window of the system of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 18 is another view of the dealership administrator interface ofFIG. 16, showing customer information stored in the dealership storagesubsystem; and

FIG. 19 is a help window and logout button of the system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

This disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, may include one ormore numbers, words, phrases, sentences, menu items, arrangements,and/or configurations which may be included by way of example. It maybear repeating, in this respect specifically, that such drawings and/orthis disclosure are for the purpose of illustration and descriptiononly, and not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

The accompanying drawings illustrate aspects of one or more web-basedvehicle buying video communication and/or dealership salespersonmanagement devices and/or BYOD systems, methods, and computer readablemedia according to preferred embodiments of the invention.

A vehicle sales management and video chat system according to apreferred embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 19. Amongother things, the system includes a dealership website (as best seen inFIGS. 1 to 4, FIGS. 6 to 7B, and FIGS. 9 to 12), available vehiclelistings (as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3), a scheduling window (as shown inFIG. 4), a floating countdown timer and alert notification (as shown inFIG. 5), a dedicated vehicle sales application (as shown in FIG. 8),video download window as shown in FIG. 10, a log-in window (as shown inFIG. 13), a dealership administrator interface (as shown in FIGS. 14 to19), and dealership storage subsystem (as shown in FIGS. 14 to 16 andFIG. 18). The system is for use with, among other things, a standard webbrowsing application (as best seen in FIGS. 1 to 4, FIGS. 6 to 7B, andFIGS. 9 to 12) running on a visitor's networking electronic device (asshown in FIG. 7A) and with salesperson's networking electronic device(as shown in FIG. 8).

In use, a video chat application 90, 100, 110 provided according to theinvention preferably allows a visitor 92 to actually view any particularvehicle 108 they might like to see on the dealer's website. The app mayhouse the one and only technology which may be web-based meaning, e.g.,no sign-in or download may be required of the user.

Preferably, while a website visitor 92 simply browses vehicle listings50 from a dealer's site, the invention may integrate one or morecall-to-actions 70 that may start an app, provided according to theinvention, directly on the dealer's website.

See, for example, the “See Live”, “See It Live Now!” and/or “See the CarLive Now!” clickable buttons 70 in accompanying FIGS. 1 to 3 accordingto the invention.

Preferably, after a user clicks on any of the “see car live” buttons 70they may be presented with a pop-up window (for example, as shown inFIG. 4) according to the invention.

Preferably, such pop-up window may afford the user an opportunity toselect a desired time from one or more (e.g., three) options 72, 72, 72proposed according to the invention, or to schedule one or more presentdates/times 74 from a calendar 76 (for example, as shown in FIG. 6).

Preferably, after choosing a time frame 72, 74 for a video conferencewith a vehicle dealership salesperson, the potential customer maycontinue to browse the dealership website. Preferably, a floating timer62 may then be presented to the potential customer 92, according to theinvention. The floating timer 62 may preferably show a countdown 62until arrival of the predetermined time for the vehicle dealershipsalesperson video conference. For example, see the timer shown in FIG. 5according to the invention.

Preferably, after the timer 62 reaches an end of the countdown, apotential customer will be presented with a chat page (as shown in FIGS.7A, 7Bm and 9), and connected live with a dealership salesperson 102standing adjacent a customer preselected vehicle 108 of potentialinterest, according to the invention.

The potential customer 92 may, according to some preferred embodimentsof the invention, remain anonymous (as shown in FIGS. 7A, 8, and 9) atthis point and/or have an option to communicate through voice 122, livechat, and/or SMS 114 while the salesperson may be live on video.

Customer-side interface examples are shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 9.

The vehicle salesperson 102 may preferably be provided with an interface(as shown in FIG. 8) which enables the salesperson 102, according to theinvention, to show and/or treat this video call 90 the same way as thesalesperson 102 might someone who walks into the dealership.

Preferably, after the potential customer 92 finishes the video call, thecustomer may be presented with an interface and/or pop-up (as shown inFIG. 10) which prompts and/or enables, according to the invention,download 150 of a complete (or substantially complete) record of theconversation, preferably including a copy of the video 240 and/or othermedia associated, with the vehicle dealership salesperson 102.

In this manner, the invention may preferably enable the potentialcustomer 92 to keep the record 240 for their own purposes, etc.

To download the record 240 (e.g., a copy of the video call), accordingto one aspect of the invention, the potential vehicle dealershipcustomers 92 may preferably be asked to identify themselves by email 84,and/or by one or more other pieces of personally identifying data 80 a,80 b and/or indicia 82 (as shown in FIG. 10). And, afterwards, thevehicle dealership 106 and/or salesperson 102 may preferably be providedwith lead information concerning the potential vehicle sale (as shown inFIGS. 15, 16, and 18), and/or the potential customer 92 may be providedwith the copy 240 of the video call or other record by email and/ordownload (as may be best appreciated from FIGS. 10 and 11) to keep inreference to a potential vehicle 108 purchase.

According to some aspects of the invention, the device, system, methodand/or computer readable medium according to the invention may send, orhelp to send, the video 240 (as may be best appreciated from FIGS. 10and 11) to the potential customer's email address 84 and/or ask thepotential customer to share their feedback 132 a, 132 b concerning thevehicle dealership video call via social media (e.g., for others toaccess via Google search and/or social media) as shown in FIG. 11.

Calls-to-action 70 from a vehicle dealer's website (as shown in FIGS. 1to 3) may preferably link directly to a live portal of a softwareapplication or app according to the invention. A user may preferablysimply click on a call-to-action button 70 (e.g., one which says “seethe car live now”) and everything may then be done within the app.

Preferably, the app may then prompt the visitor to choose a time frame72, 74 in which they would like a video meeting to start. The visitor 92may preferably be prompted with a few options for times 72, 72, 72, orwith a calendar selection 74 where they can opt-in to choose whatevertime(s) 76 may be available.

Preferably, after a dealership receives notification (for example, asshown in FIG. 5) that a visitor 92 would like to see a vehicle ‘Live’,the dealership 106 may—according to an aspect of the invention—beafforded an opportunity to prepare the vehicle 108 and get the vehicle'skeys ready to show the vehicle 108 to the website visitor 92 (as bestseen in FIG. 9) within the time frame 72, 74 they selected.

Preferably, after the user's selected time counts down 62 to zero (asmay be best appreciated from FIG. 5), a chat box 90, 100, 110 may simplyopen on the user's computer (as best seen in FIG. 9).

Preferably, at substantially the same time, a similar chat box 90, 100,110 may open simultaneously once again on a predetermined dealershipsalesperson's BYOD phone and/or other mobile communications device (asbest seen in FIG. 8).

Preferably, at that point, the website visitor 92 and the predetermineddealership salesperson 102 then will be connected with one another in alive video conference 90, 100.

The website visitor/user 92 may preferably, according to one aspect ofthe invention, be afforded an option to selectively: (1) remainanonymous by video, and choose to discuss and be heard by voice only, asshown in FIG. 7A; (2) simply use text and/or SMS 114 so that the websitevisitor/user 92 may remain completely anonymous by video and voice, asshown in FIG. 8; and/or (3) to be one-on-one in a live video chatconference 90, 100 where the salesperson 102 can see the client 92 andthe client 92 can see the salesperson 102, vice versa, as shown in FIG.7B.

After the salesperson 102 and client 92 video meeting 90, 100 hasfinished, the vehicle dealership website visitor/user 92 may bepresented with multiple choices and/or directions to proceed with apotential vehicle purchase (as may be best appreciated from aconsideration of FIGS. 10 and 12). For example, the website visitor 92may be afforded an option to book a meeting 58 with the dealershipsalesperson 102 for a test drive and/or to come in and finalize thevehicle sale.

Also or instead, the website visitor 92 may be afforded an option toindicate via the app, according to the invention, if they want totrade-in their current vehicle as part of the transaction (as may bebest appreciated from a consideration of FIG. 12). In such case, thecall 90, 100 may preferably be transferred 128 from the salesperson 102,within the app, to another dealership team member, who does appraisalsfor the potential customer 92 to provide a walk-through and/or show thedealership 106 one or more potential trade-in vehicles. Afterwards,proper offers and arrangements may preferably be made, according to theinvention, with a view to concluding one or more vehicle transactions(as shown in FIG. 12).

According to an aspect of the invention, the app may also afford anoption 128 for the website visitor 92 to preferably obtain moreinformation from a different and/or second dealership salesperson 102,who may preferably know more or different specific details concerningone or more vehicles 108 of potential interest. The second dealershipsalesperson 102 may preferably, according to one aspect of theinvention, be able to provide a more descriptive answer to questionswhich the original salesperson 102 was unable or less suited to answer.According to the invention, the website visitor 92 may thus be affordedwith a ready opportunity, within the app, to access an appropriate levelof experience among the various dealership staff (who may all haveaccess to the app) to facilitate the vehicle transaction. The websitevisitor 92 thus, if and as appropriate, may be advantageously shuffledback and forth 128 among vehicle dealership members and the vehiclesales team for the benefit of the website visitor 92 at any point.

For a preferable dealership-side experience, an “up system” maypreferably be recommended for this application. After the vehiclesalesperson 102 arrives at work, he or she may preferably sign-in 204 tothe application according to the invention (as shown in FIG. 13). Thevehicle salesperson 102, 104 then may be given a place (e.g., first) inline to receive meeting notifications throughout the sales team. After afirst salesperson 102 has joined in a meeting with the client 92, theapp may preferably notify one or more others on vehicle sales team, whohave signed-in to the app, of the advancement of meetings. One or moreof these features of the invention may be best appreciated from aconsideration of FIG. 14.

After the first salesperson 102 has started a meeting 90, 100, 110, theapp may preferably notify a second salesperson that they will be upnext. The app may preferably tell them to get ready for a meeting.Similarly, a third salesperson may be notified that he or she has movedup in line to the second spot. Preferably, with a fourth salespersonbeing notified that they have moved to the third spot, and so on. Theapp may preferably give one or more of the salespeople 102 a “ballpark”or approximate time frame as to how long they might expect to waitbefore they will be asked to join a live call. Preferably, the inventionmay thus afford the vehicle dealership 106 and/or its salespeople 102,104 with an appropriate and/or improved time management resource for itsvarious vehicle salespeople 102, 104, etc. The invention, in this mannerand/or otherwise, may enable dealership salespeople 102, 104 toappropriately ready themselves to host a live call 90, 100, 110 after avisitor 92 asks to see a vehicle 108 live.

After a call 90, 100, 110 has been completed, the app may prompt thewebsite visitor 92 to leave his or her information for the dealership(as best seen in FIG. 10). Preferably, in exchange, the visitor 92 mayreceive a download link 150 to the sales call, as documented on video240, for recall and use by the potential customer 92, the dealership106, and/or the vehicle salesperson 102.

The application according to the invention preferably provides a firstnon-committed video chat application 90, 100 in the vehicle dealershipworld. It enables users to connect with a vehicle dealership 106 withoutsigning-in, downloading or installing any software beyond a web browser.

Preferably, the invention may enable vehicle salespeople 102 in adealership 106 to remotely host meetings with potential customers 92 viasoftware to show one or more selected vehicles 108 of potential interestto the customer 92, at any given time, without having to prepare and/orask the client 92 to attend the dealership 106. Preferably, use of theinvention may help to save time for the vehicle sales team and/orpotential customers 92 who simply want to see selected vehicles 108.

Preferably, use of the invention may bring, or help bring, walk-intraffic of potential customers 92 to vehicle dealerships 106.Preferably, the app may bring, or help bring, sales opportunities forvehicle dealerships 106, preferably without hassle or inconvenience tothe visitors 92 of vehicle dealership websites.

Preferably, the app may be readily installed and/or used by vehicledealerships and salespeople 102, typically all on a single and/or oneand the same day, if and as may be needed and/or desired. Preferably,the app may be readily installed on the same day, perhaps within aboutten (10) minutes or less. Preferably, the app takes only minutes toinstall on a dealership website, with little or no technical expertiseor help from a developer. Preferably, after and/or during installation,the dealership may simply choose its calls-to-action 70, pay asubscription fee, and/or insert a snippet into a desired location.According to the invention, the dealership's vehicle sales (and vehicletrade-in) team may preferably download the app.

According to the invention, the app may preferably work and/or integratewell with a dealership's existing vehicle sales flow. According to somepreferred embodiments, the invention may be installed and used by thevehicle dealership's team for a single price and/or without accruing anyadditional and/or unexpected costs, etc. According to some preferredembodiments, the invention may be installed and used by the vehicledealership's team for a fixed price no matter how many cars may be soldin association with its use.

In the prior art, prospective buyers may have visited and left vehicledealership websites, with a less than ideal website and/or vehiclebuying experience. Likewise prospective buyers, who were persuaded toshare their personal and/or identifying information, may have beensolicited by a team of agents to further persuade them to come in to thedealership to see one or more vehicles. This business model may havebeen somewhat inefficient and/or yielded suboptimal results.

According to the invention, on the other hand, website visitors 92 maypreferably be afforded an opportunity to actually see particularvehicles 108 at the dealership 106 in real time.

Use of the invention may preferably promote walk-ins by, and/orengagement with, potential vehicle purchasers 92. Use of the inventionmay preferably promote trust between potential vehicle customers 92 anda vehicle dealership's sales team 102, while tracking and buildinggoodwill with a growing number of prospective customers (as shown inFIG. 18). Preferably, whether or not a prospective customer 92 likes oneor more vehicles 108 of potential interest, the vehicle salesperson 102will have been afforded an opportunity to form and/or develop a buddingrelationship with the prospective customer 92.

Preferably, use of the invention may connect, or help to connect,dealership website visitors 92 with vehicle salespeople 102 via the app,which preferably (substantially immediately) enables them to see one ormore vehicles 108 of potential interest in real time and/or on theirterms.

Preferably, the app may allows website visitors and potential vehiclepurchasers 92 to remain substantially anonymous, to save time, and/or tobetter enjoy the vehicle sales process, preferably at least in partbecause of one or virtual vehicle sales features which are providedaccording to the invention. Preferably, dealership customers 92 may beprovided with an improved vehicle buying experience.

In use of the app, according to the invention, a website visitor 92 maypreferably click a “SEE CAR LIVE NOW” button 70. The website visitor 92may preferably choose a time 82, 84 (at their own convenience) to meetvirtually with a vehicle salesperson 102. That may preferably alert aSales Manager, or another responsible person, at the vehicle dealership106 to prepare the vehicle 108 to be shown. Preferably, in the meantime,a timer 62 may provide a count down until the client/salespersonmeeting. During that time, the potential client 92 may preferablycontinue to browse inventory and/or other content on the dealershipwebsite or elsewhere. After the timer 62 hits zero, the potentialvehicle buyer 92 may preferably be live (one on one) with apredetermined dealership salesperson 102 adjacent to the vehicle 108 oftheir choice. Through the app, according to the invention, a vehicleshopper 92 may preferably see and hear (and/or virtually touch) one ormore vehicles 108 of potential interest all from the comfort of theirown web browsing environment.

Preferably, the app may be easy and ready to use by the vehicledealership sales team. The app may preferably seamlessly manage thevehicle dealership sales workflow, preferably by sending out one or morenotifications and/or recording some of all of sessions (as shown inFIGS. 15 and 16) for quality control and/or training purposes.Preferably, a vehicle dealership management team may be able to monitorall activity via the system according to the invention. One or moreprospective vehicle purchasers may preferably, according to theinvention, be prompted to leave feedback 132 a, 132 b after theirrespective sessions.

Preferably, use of the invention may help vehicle dealerships 106 toidentify, incent, and/or encourage prospective shoppers 92 who may bemost likely, or made more likely, to visit the dealership 106 tofinalize a vehicle 108 purchase.

Preferably, according to the invention, the app may connect potentialvehicle purchasers 92 with dealerships 106 and salespeople 102 whileproviding a simple-to-use and/or transparent vehicle buying platformand/or experience.

There may have been a time not so long ago, when vehicle dealerships andthe showroom floors were the primary places for prospective vehiclebuyers to best experience and learn about any vehicles of potentialinterest. Vehicle buying experiences and associated sales relationshipsmay have previously formed out of and/or been centered around thevehicle dealerships. With technology, websites, and other advances,however, the vehicle buying experience evolved and/or prospective buyersmight better search for vehicles from the comfort of their own homes.Still, the vehicle buying experience may have been less than ideal. Itmay have been somewhat difficult for prospective buyers to locate anappropriate and/or desired vehicle online without an expert. The humanconnection between prospective buyers and vehicle dealerships (and theirsalespeople) may have suffered and/or been lost. And/or, vehicledealership walk-ins may have lessened and/or decreased. Prospectivebuyers may have had little or no help in navigating potentiallycomplicated vehicle dealership websites. The limited information,images, and/or photographs of vehicles available on the website may havebeen less than desirable.

Use of the invention, on the other hand, may preferably help to improvethe vehicle buying experience for vehicle dealers, salespeople 102 andbuyers 92 alike. Use of the invention may preferably help to increasevehicle dealership 106 walk-ins, and/or to increase connections betweenvehicle salespeople 102 and prospective vehicle buyers 92 (who caninitially form a personal connection from wherever they may be and/orview the car in real time). Preferably, use of the invention may be muchlike having a prospective vehicle buyer 92 on the dealership's showroomfloor 106. Preferably, a relationship may be formed and/or the vehiclebuying experience may be improved.

A prospective vehicle buyer 92 clicks a “SEE CAR LIVE NOW” button 70 viatheir web interface. One of the dealership's sales people 102 maypreferably take the video call, welcome the prospective buyer 92, and/orgive them a live tour of the desired vehicle 108.

According to the invention, the prospective vehicle buyer 92 may ask oneor more questions of the dealership salesperson 102 and have themanswered substantially in realtime from the comfort of their ownpersonal surroundings. In this way, the vehicle buyer 92 mayadvantageously be given a sense of being right there on the dealershipshowroom floor 106. And, if a prospective buyer 92 likes what they see,they may be readily afforded with an opportunity to book an in-personappointment, to sign any required documents, and/or to take delivery oftheir new (or used) vehicle 108.

According to the invention, a vehicle dealership 106 may get the app,prospective buyers 92 may click a button 70 see actual vehicles 108live. From there, the salespeople 102 and buyers 92 may book a date 72,74 to complete any required paperwork and/or deliver a new or usedvehicle 108.

In comparison to prior art, one advantage of the invention may be thatit preferably does not require any download or installation of software(other than a web browser).

The invention is contemplated for use by or in association with vehiclebuying, customers 92, dealerships 106, and/or salespeople 102 and/orwith BYOD systems, methods, and/or computer readable media. Theinvention, however, is not so limited. Other embodiments, which fallwithin the scope of the invention, may be provided. Preferably, devices,apps, systems, methods, and/or computer readable media according to theinvention may be used for, and afford advantageous utilities with,industries and/or retail environments other than those associated withvehicle dealerships.

The foregoing description has been presented for the purpose ofillustration and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise form disclosed.

Naturally, in view of the teachings and disclosures herein, personshaving ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that alternate designsand/or embodiments of the invention may be possible (e.g., withsubstitution of one or more components for others, with alternateconfigurations of components, etc). Although some of the components,relations, configurations and/or steps according to the invention arenot specifically referenced in the accompanying drawings or inassociation with one another, they may be used, and/or adapted for use,in association therewith. For example, features may be depicted ordiscussed herein in the context of the device, which clearly could berecast as the steps of a method, the inter-workings of a system, and/orrecorded on computer readable media. (And, vice-versa.) All of thedepicted and aforementioned and various other features, steps,inter-workings, structures, configurations, relationships, utilities,and/or the like (any of which may be depicted and/or based hereon) maybe, but are not necessarily, incorporated into and/or achieved by theinvention. Any one or more of the depicted and aforementioned features,steps, inter-workings, structures, configurations, relationships,utilities and the like may be implemented in and/or by the invention, ontheir own, and/or without reference, regard or likewise implementationof any of the other depicted or aforementioned features, steps,inter-workings, structures, configurations, relationships, utilities andthe like, in various permutations and combinations, as will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the pith,marrow, and spirit of the disclosed invention.

Other modifications and alterations may be used in the design,manufacture, and/or implementation of other embodiments according to thepresent invention without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, which is limited only by the claims of this patentapplication, of any patents issuing herefrom or reissues thereof.

PARTS LIST

The following numbers have been used herein and in the accompanyingdrawings to denote certain parts, elements, and features of theinvention:

-   -   Search results 50    -   Static vehicle images 52    -   Vehicle printed details 54    -   Other Dealer contact means 56    -   Schedule in-person meeting/test drive button 58    -   Confirm availability button 60    -   Timer window countdown and alert notification 62    -   Pause countdown button 64    -   Close timer button 66    -   Live video button 70    -   Video chat times 72, 74    -   Video chat time preset options 72    -   Custom video chat time 74    -   Calendar interface 76    -   Submit 78    -   Visitor name/nickname 80    -   Visitor first name 80 a    -   Visitor last name 80 b    -   Telephone/SMS number entry 82    -   Email address entry 84    -   Email/SMS selector 86    -   Deliver offer button 88    -   Salesperson video chat window shows visitor live communication        90    -   Website visitor (and website visitor image/avatar) 92    -   Visitor video chat window shows salesperson live audio and video        100    -   Salesperson 102    -   Salesperson name 104    -   Dealership 106    -   Vehicle 108    -   Chat frame 110    -   Dealer message 112    -   Visitor message 114    -   Message entry field 116    -   Send message 118    -   Attach document 120    -   Communication buttons 120, 122    -   Camera on/off 120    -   Mic on/off 122    -   Hang-up button 124    -   Signal strength indicator 126    -   Call transfer button 128    -   Session timer 130    -   Feedback prompts 132 a, 132 b    -   Download link 150    -   Usernames entries (in dealership queue) 200    -   Password 202    -   Log-in button 204    -   Users tab 210    -   User listings 212    -   User state 214    -   User status 216    -   Good user status 216 a    -   Neutral user status 216 b    -   Bad user status 216 c    -   Coaching 218    -   Add user 220    -   Delete user 222    -   Save user update 224    -   User department entry 226    -   User email address entry 228    -   Session tab 230    -   Session entries 231    -   Session start time 232    -   Session end time 234    -   Missed call 236    -   More information button 238    -   Session recording 240    -   Play/pause session recording 242    -   Session report details 244    -   Session report queries 246    -   Yes/no radio buttons 248    -   Session report send 250    -   Customer tab 260    -   Customer entries 262    -   Download customers/contacts button 264    -   Help menu button 270    -   Email help questions link 272    -   Frequently asked question links 274    -   Admin logout button 280

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle sales management and video chat system,for use with a salesperson's networking electronic device that is localto a salesperson at a dealership and with a standard web browsingapplication running on a visitor's networking electronic device that islocal to a website visitor who is remote from the dealership, with thesystem comprising: at least one desired vehicle that is physicallylocated onsite at the dealership and available for potential acquisitionby the website visitor; a dealership website that is remote from andpresented to the website visitor via the standard web browsingapplication; listings on the dealership website that comprise at leastone available vehicle listing which corresponds to the desired vehicle;a live video button, substantially adjacent to the available vehiclelisting on the dealership website, that is selectively engageable by thewebsite visitor; a scheduling window that is presented to the websitevisitor, via the standard web browsing application, after the websitevisitor has selectively engaged the live video button; wherein thescheduling window enables the website visitor to select a predeterminedvideo chat time; a dedicated vehicle sales application running on thesalesperson's networking electronic device; an alert notification thatis presented to the salesperson, via the dedicated vehicle salesapplication, after the website visitor has selected the predeterminedvideo chat time; a visitor video chat window that, startingsubstantially at the predetermined video chat time, presents live audioand video from the dealership, via the dedicated vehicle salesapplication running on the salesperson's networking electronic device,substantially in real-time, to the website visitor via the standard webbrowsing application; wherein the live audio and video from thedealership comprises live audio and video of the desired vehicle; asalesperson video chat window that, starting substantially at thepredetermined video chat time, presents live communication from thewebsite visitor, via the standard web browsing application,substantially in real-time, to the salesperson via the dedicated vehiclesales application; a dealership storage subsystem that is remote fromthe website visitor; a session recording of the live audio and videofrom the dealership and the communication from the website visitor;wherein the session recording is securely stored by the dealershipstorage subsystem; a hang-up button that is presented to the websitevisitor via the standard web browsing application and to the salespersonvia the dedicated vehicle sales application, and is selectivelyengageable to close the visitor video chat window and the salespersonvideo chat window; and a video download window that is presented to thewebsite visitor, via the standard web browsing application, afterselective engagement of the hang-up button; wherein the video downloadwindow enables the website visitor to selectively download and store acopy of the session recording to the visitor's networking electronicdevice.
 2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising one ormore communication buttons that are presented via the standard webbrowsing application, and are selectively engageable by the websitevisitor to present, as said live communication, one or more of thefollowing inputs as received by the visitor's networking electronicdevice: text only; voice only; and voice and video together.
 3. Thesystem according to claim 1, further adapted for use by other dealershippersonnel at the dealership, and further comprising a call transferbutton that is presented to the website visitor via the standard webbrowsing application and to the salesperson via the dedicated vehiclesales application, and is selectively engageable to transfer thesalesperson video chat window to an appropriate one of the otherdealership personnel based on at least one of: the live audio and videofrom the dealership; the desired vehicle; and the live communicationfrom the website visitor.
 4. The system according to claim 3, whereinwhen the website visitor has a potential trade-in vehicle for appraisalas part of the potential acquisition of the desired vehicle, theappropriate one of the other dealership personnel is a vehicleappraiser.
 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the schedulingwindow enables selection of the predetermined video chat time from amongone or more preset options.
 6. The system according to claim 1, furthercomprising a timer window that is presented via the standard webbrowsing application after the website visitor has selected thepredetermined video chat time, and counts-down the time remaining untilthe predetermined video chat time; and wherein the system enables thewebsite visitor to continue otherwise using the standard web browsingapplication until the predetermined video chat time.
 7. The systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the alert notification prompts thesalesperson to prepare, before expiry of any time remaining until thepredetermined video chat time, a live presentation of the desiredvehicle for the website visitor.
 8. The system according to claim 1,wherein the video download window requires entry of a personal name andan email address/SMS number for the website visitor before delivering,to the email address/SMS number, a download link that enables thewebsite visitor to, as aforesaid, selectively download and store a copyof the session recording to the visitor's networking electronic device;and wherein the dealership storage subsystem stores the personal nameand the email address/SMS number and provides the personal name and theemail address/SMS number to the salesperson and the dealership.
 9. Thesystem according to claim 1, further comprising a feedback prompt thatis presented to the website visitor, via the standard web browsingapplication, after the video download window; wherein the feedbackprompt enables the website visitor to share feedback concerning the liveaudio and video for access by the dealership and potentially via socialmedia for third party access.
 10. The system according to claim 1,further comprising a dealership prompt that is presented to the websitevisitor, via the standard web browsing application, after the videodownload window; wherein the dealership prompt enables the websitevisitor to schedule an in-person meeting with the salesperson for a testdrive and to advance the potential acquisition of the desired vehicle bythe website visitor.
 11. The system according to claim 1, furthercomprising a trade-in prompt that is presented to the website visitor,via the standard web browsing application, after the video downloadwindow; wherein the trade-in prompt enables the website visitor toschedule a video chat with the dealership for appraisal of a potentialtrade-in vehicle as part of the potential acquisition of the desiredvehicle.
 12. The system according to claim 1, further adapted for use bya number of other salespeople at the dealership and for use with acurrent volume of website traffic, and further comprising: a log-inwindow that enables the salesperson to log-in to the dedicated vehiclesales application after arriving at the dealership; a dealership queueof the other salespeople at the dealership who have logged-in to thededicated vehicle sales application, with the dealership queue beingstored in the dealership storage subsystem; a dealership processor thatcalculates: a position of the salesperson in the dealership queue basedon when the salesperson logged-in to the dedicated vehicle salesapplication; and, based on the position of the salesperson in thedealership queue and on the current volume of website traffic, anestimated time until the salesperson will be presented with the alertnotification as aforesaid; and a time estimate notification that ispresented to the salesperson, via the dedicated vehicle salesapplication, after the salesperson has logged-in as aforesaid; whereinthe time estimate notification comprises the estimated time and theposition of the salesperson in the dealership queue.
 13. The system ofclaim 12, wherein after the alert notification is presented to thesalesperson, the dealership processor calculates updated positions ofthe other salespeople in the dealership queue, and new estimated timesbased on the updated positions of the other salespeople in thedealership queue and on the current volume of website traffic; andwherein the dedicated vehicle sales application presents the newestimated times to the other salespeople in the dealership queue. 14.The system of claim 1, further comprising a dealership administratorinterface that enables the dealership to monitor, review, and manage allinformation and activity related to the dealership website, the websitevisitor, the listings on the dealership website, the available vehiclelisting, the dedicated vehicle sales application, the salesperson, thelive audio and video from the dealership, the live communication fromthe website visitor, the dealership storage subsystem, and the sessionrecording, for quality control and training purposes.
 15. A method ofvehicle sales management and video chat, for use with a salesperson'snetworking electronic device that is local to a salesperson at adealership and with a standard web browsing application running on avisitor's networking electronic device that is local to a websitevisitor who is remote from the dealership, with the method comprising: alisting step of using the standard web browsing application, running onthe networking electronic device that is local to the website visitor,to present: (a) at least one available vehicle listing among listings ona dealership website, wherein the available vehicle listing correspondsto a desired vehicle that is physically located onsite at the dealershipand available for potential acquisition by the website visitor; and (b)a live video button that is substantially adjacent to the availablevehicle listing on the dealership website, wherein the live video buttonis selectively engageable by the website visitor; a scheduling step ofpresenting a scheduling window to the website visitor, via the standardweb browsing application, after the website visitor has selectivelyengaged the live video button; wherein the scheduling window enables thewebsite visitor to select a predetermined video chat time; a vehiclesales application providing step of providing a dedicated vehicle salesapplication running on the salesperson's networking electronic device;an alert step of presenting an alert notification to the salesperson,via the dedicated vehicle sales application, after the website visitorhas selected the predetermined video chat time; a video chat step ofproviding: (i) a visitor video chat window that, starting substantiallyat the predetermined video chat time, presents live audio and video fromthe dealership, via the dedicated vehicle sales application running onthe salesperson's networking electronic device, substantially inreal-time, to the website visitor via the standard web browsingapplication; wherein the live audio and video from the dealershipcomprises live audio and video of the desired vehicle; and (ii) asalesperson video chat window that, starting substantially at thepredetermined video chat time, presents live communication from thewebsite visitor, via the standard web browsing application,substantially in real-time, to the salesperson via the dedicated vehiclesales application; a dealership storage step of providing a dealershipstorage subsystem that is remote from the website visitor; a sessionrecording step of providing a session recording of the live audio andvideo from the dealership and the communication from the websitevisitor; wherein the session recording is securely stored by thedealership storage subsystem; a hang-up step of providing a hang-upbutton that is presented to the website visitor via the standard webbrowsing application and to the salesperson via the dedicated vehiclesales application, and is selectively engageable to close the visitorvideo chat window and the salesperson video chat window; and a videodownload step of providing a video download window that is presented tothe website visitor, via the standard web browsing application, afterselective engagement of the hang-up button; wherein the video downloadwindow enables the website visitor to selectively download and store acopy of the session recording to the visitor's networking electronicdevice.
 16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising acommunication step of providing one or more communication buttons thatare presented via the standard web browsing application, and areselectively engageable by the website visitor to present, as said livecommunication, one or more of the following inputs as received by thevisitor's networking electronic device: text only; voice only; and voiceand video together.
 17. The method according to claim 15, furthercomprising a timer step of providing a timer window that is presentedvia the standard web browsing application after the website visitor hasselected the predetermined video chat time, and counts-down the timeremaining until the predetermined video chat time; and wherein, duringthe timer step, the dealer website enables the website visitor tocontinue otherwise using the standard web browsing application until thepredetermined video chat time.
 18. The method according to claim 15,wherein in the video download step, the video download window requiresentry of a personal name and an email address/SMS number for the websitevisitor before delivering, to the email address/SMS number, a downloadlink that enables the website visitor to, as aforesaid, selectivelydownload and store a copy of the session recording to the visitor'snetworking electronic device; and wherein in the dealership storagestep, the dealership storage subsystem stores the personal name and theemail address/SMS number and provides the personal name and the emailaddress/SMS number to the salesperson and the dealership.
 19. The methodaccording to claim 15, further adapted for use by a number of othersalespeople at the dealership and for use with a current volume ofwebsite traffic, and further comprising: a log-in step of providing alog-in window that enables the salesperson to log-in to the dedicatedvehicle sales application after arriving at the dealership; a dealershipqueuing step of providing a dealership queue of the other salespeople atthe dealership who have logged-in to the dedicated vehicle salesapplication, with the dealership queue being stored in the dealershipstorage subsystem; a dealership processing step of using a dealershipprocessor to calculate: a position of the salesperson in the dealershipqueue based on when the salesperson logged-in to the dedicated vehiclesales application; and, based on the position of the salesperson in thedealership queue and on the current volume of website traffic, anestimated time until the salesperson will be presented with the alertnotification as aforesaid; and a time estimate notification step ofproviding a time estimate notification that is presented to thesalesperson, via the dedicated vehicle sales application, after thesalesperson has logged-in as aforesaid; wherein the time estimatenotification comprises the estimated time and the position of thesalesperson in the dealership queue.
 20. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising a dealership administration step of providing a dealershipadministrator interface that enables the dealership to monitor, review,and manage all information and activity related to the dealershipwebsite, the website visitor, the listings on the dealership website,the available vehicle listing, the dedicated vehicle sales application,the salesperson, the live audio and video from the dealership, the livecommunication from the website visitor, the dealership storagesubsystem, and the session recording, for quality control and trainingpurposes.